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Thank you SA for good elections: government

People queue to vote as part of the general elections, on May 7, 2014 at a polling station in Khayelitsha. PHOTO: RODGER BOSCH/SAFP
People queue to vote as part of the general elections, on May 7, 2014 at a polling station in Khayelitsha. PHOTO: RODGER BOSCH/SAFP

Government thanked South Africans and political parties for exercising tolerance during the 2014 general election.

"We appreciate the tolerance, dignity, and patience with which voters conducted themselves as they waited to cast their vote," said acting Government Communication and Information System CEO Phumla Williams in a statement.

"Government acknowledges the positive spirit in which the political parties conducted themselves during the elections. This is an indication of our maturity as a democracy."

She said the active citizenship and patriotism was also visible on April 30 when thousands of expatriates voted at South African missions abroad.

Williams thanked security agencies and other government departments for ensuring "mostly incident free" elections.

"The security measures contributed greatly to elections which were peaceful and conducted in a spirit of democracy," she said.

Williams also thanked the Electoral Commission of SA (IEC) for a smooth running of the elections.

She extended her thanks to the home affairs department for opening its offices across the country on Wednesday, to assist people to get identity documents so they could vote.

She also thanked the media for its "comprehensive" coverage of the day.